Diagnosis. Tropidurus koepckeorum is a member of the occipitalis group and as such differs from members of the peruvianus group by having imbricate, keeled and mucronate dorsolateral body scales. It differs from occipitalis by lacking distinct occipital spots, by having distinct spots in the gular region and differing in scutellation by having more than 65 scales around midbody, rather than 60 or less, and the postmental shields are larger than the first pair of chin shields. It differs from stolzmanni in having large dumbbell-shaped spots laterally displaced along the middorsal crest and having distinct spots in the gular region, rather than lines forming chevrons, more distinct in males [DIXON & WRIGHT 1975].

Comment

Etymology

Named after Hans and Maria Koepcke, German biologists working in Peru. Hans Koepcke (died 2000) was an ecologist while his wife Maria (1924-1971) was a ornithologist who was killed from injuries in a plane crash that their daughter Juliane survived as the only survivor (Hans was not on board). Juliane’s story was recounted in Laborjournal (1-2/ 2011: 58).